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Honoring Ginger's Memory

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  Today, it is important for me to honor, Ginger, my mother in law by sharing a few memories. I remember early on when Darren and I had just started dating, and it was time for me to meet his mother. Darren warned me (and I am paraphrasing), “Now, I will tell you, Mama is a little different. She likes to keep to herself and is particular about her things.” When I arrived at her house, I remember noticing a home that was lived in, a big happy dog, stacks of National Enquirer magazines, and Entertainment Tonight on the TV.   That evening, Ginger and I talked about Hollywood (because I was all into it).  I felt right at home. From that moment on, Ginger always reminded me of my favorite Granny Hamilton. As time went on, Darren and I got married, then came Connor, then Carlee, and we naturally became a family unit.  This past week, as we sifted through countless photos of Ginger and the family, one of my favorite discoveries was her high school scrapbook. It was filled...
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Happy Sweet 13 Carlee

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  Happy 13th Birthday to our Carlee! 🎉  For the next six months, we officially have two teenagers in the Sechrist household—until one levels up to gasp young adulthood! I can hardly believe it.  Watching the baby of the family grow up is bittersweet, but we couldn’t be prouder. Being a 13-year-old girl in 2025 is no small feat—there’s so much more pressure than I ever remember at that age. But Carlee is finding her strength and I know she’ll navigate this chapter with grace.   My Carlee Favorites— introverted but hilarious, a talented baker, a graceful dancer, and a loyal friend. She’s thoughtful and reasonable, with a heart for animals and a flair for design. My little Gypsy Sister, a decorator at heart, and a true fashionista. Watching her grow into the amazing person she is has been a blessing.  It has been amazing this year to watch this gal find her people, gain confidence in school, and discover her own passions. Seeing her grow into herself has been su...
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Vlogmas- Christmas Week

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  Christmas is over and it was so good.   This week was full of love, joy, and expectation, all in the spirit of our Savior. Our children are such a blessing. We are grateful for every Christmas we get to spend time with them and share the magic, even though they are growing up so quickly. In the words of Brad Paisley: Don't you get the sense tonight That for now the world is right And as another Christmas ends My mind drifts and once again I'm thinking like a six year old Only 364 days to go Be here before you know it. -364 Days to Go
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VLOGMAS - Christmas is SOON

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Hey there! Welcome to more VlOGMAS, my latest passion project. I’m all about snapping pics, shooting videos, and putting together clips.  Christmas is soon and we are very, very excited. With vlogging, there are definitely upsides—like capturing awesome memories, finding Christmas music, staying present in the moment, and weaving together a cool story. But it’s not all perfect; I’ve had my share of downsides too. Sometimes I forget to record or get too busy to even think on it, and honestly, this whole thing takes a lot of time.  My phone camera broke at one point, so I’m stuck using an old Android (which is a total pain) but I set a goal to complete vlogmas and I'm all in.   I really hope to invest in a really good camera one day (like after I get two kids through college). This week and weekend were all about the highs—celebrating Christmas in every school. I didn’t realize how magical it all was until I looked back at the footage. Our elementary school kids were b...
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Vlogmas Weekend 14/15

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Scenes from the Weekend :
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Chinese Lantern Festival

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We had a great time last night tagging along with Carlee's 中国老师" (zhōng guó lǎo shī)  and friends. When Connor got placed in Chinese in high school I really objected because I didn't think he would really gain anything from taking these classes. Luckily, I was wrong. Connor loved his Chinese class & teacher in high school (so much he wanted to take Chinese level 3 and 4 but they didn't offer it). 2022 I encouraged Carlee to take Chinese (with the same teacher) at the middle school level and she has loved it so much. Last night we attended the Chinese Lantern Festival and grabbed an interesting dining experience as well. It's awesome when education provides more experience than assessment. Enjoy our photos (and video)! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf53I-bFGYY
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